Car-body bolster.



No. 635,|52. Patented Oct. l7, I899.-

M. S. SHOTWELL.

CAR BODY BOLSTER.

(Application filed. June 5, 1899.)

(No Model.)

Fjinr'in arren States.

arena @FFlQlEZ.

MELANOTHON S. SHOTVVELL, OF HARRISBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

CAR-BODY BOLSTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 635,152, dated October 17, 1899.

' Application filed June 5, 1899. Serial No. 719,462. lllo model.)

'WELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Harrisburg, in the county of Dauphin and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Oar- Body Bolsters, of which the following is a specification.

Among the objects of the invention are to provide a bolster which is constructed entirely of rolled metal and therefore very strong and durable, to provide a construction in which the side pieces or plates of the bolster are not weakened by openings for the reception of the d raft-timbers, and to so construct the wear-plates and connect them with the bolster as not to require the use of fastening means extending through the sides of the bolster.

With these and other ends in view the invention consists in the peculiar construction and arrangement of parts that will be hereinafter'pointed out and described.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a car-body bolster constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan View thereof. Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical sectional view on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. A is a similar view on the line at 4 of Fig. 2.

Like letters of reference designate corresponding parts in the several figures of the drawings, referring to which-- A A designate the side bars or plates of the bolster. These are, as shown in the drawing, rolled angle-bars having their wider flanges arranged vertically and their narrower flanges aprojecting outwardly at the upper ends or edges of the sides. Preferably the side bars or plates A A are of the form shown in Fig. 1-tl1at is, are tapered or reduced in depth toward both ends from a central portion a.

The sides A A are riveted or securely bolted near their lower edges to a bottom bar 0. This is formed of a suitable rolled metal channel-bar which is bent or curved longitudinally to conform to the curve of the lower edges of the said sides A A. The bottom bar extends throughout the length of the bolster, and its upwardly-extending side flanges c are riveted to the side bars A A, as stated above,

by a series of closely-adjacent rivets D.

E designates a center piece which is arranged between the sides A A at a point midway of the length thereof and is firmly secured in position by means of bolts F and the kin g-pin. This center piece is preferably made in the form shown in Figs. 2 and 3.. It is substantially rectangular in cross-section and of a width to fit snugly between the side bars A A. It is provided with a centrallyarranged vertically-extending passage 6 for the king or connecting bolt and is of a height to extend from the bottom channel-bar O to the plane of the upper edges of the central portions of the sides of the bolster.

'A chamber or recess E is formed in the upper end of the casting or center piece E about the passage 6 therein, and the fastening-bolts F extend through the outer walls of this recess and through the adjacent sides A A.

i The lower end of the center piece is of less width than the upper end thereof, the outer faces or surfaces of its walls being concaved somewhat, as shown in Fig. 3. An opening G is formed in the bottom channel-bar C in line with the passage 6 in said center piece.

The top of the bolster is formed by a single plate H, that extends from end to end of the. bolster and is of a width to extend from the outer edge of the horizontal flange Ct of one side bar to the outer edge of the corresponding flange of the opposite side bar. Said top is rigidly secured to said flanges a by means of rivets H.

From the above description and the drawings it will be seen that myinvention difiers from others heretofore proposed in that no apertures or passages are formed in the sides for the draft timbers of the car. 'I provide means for effectually supporting said timbers and connecting them to the bolster Withoutweakening the bolster by employing such apertures.

K designates an angle-bar, which issecurely bolted to the central portion a of the side bar A near the lower edge thereof. This anglebar, which may be connected to the bolster by the same rivets or bolts D as are employed to connect the side bar with the bottom channel-bar, serves as the support for the inner ends of the draft-timbers L, and said timbers are connected to the bolster by means of anchor bolts M. These extend horizontally through the bolster from one side to the other and project some distance beyond the side bar A. These projecting portions m of the said anchor-bolts are flattened out so as to lie close against the adjacent vertical side of the draft-timbers L, and the extreme outer ends of said bolts M are bent at right angles to the length thereof and adapted to enter suitable seats orsockets provided therefor in the drafttimbers. The anchor-bolts and draft-timbers are further connected by means of bolts N.

A center wear-plate O is secured to the lower surface of the bolster about the opening G. As shown, the channel-bar G preferably extends slightly below the sides A A along the central portion a, and thereby forms a guide to prevent lateral displacement of the said wear-plate O. The said plate 0 is connected to the bolster and supported by means of vertically-extending bolts P. Additional wear-plates Q Q are shown on opposite sides of the said plate 0, they being supported and connected with the bolster by means of vertical bolts R.

The bolster is attached to the sills of a car by suitable bolts extending through any openings S.

It will thus be seen that I have provided a car-body bolster comprising but few parts, all of which, except the center filling or spacing piece E, are formed of rolled metal of sections or shapes which are thickest at the throats of the angles. This enables me to provide an extremely strong and durable bolster with a minimum of Weight, which is very desirable.

Again, all of the parts are so positioned as to be easily examined and inspected.

It will be seen that I do not weaken the side bars A A by extending the draft-timbers of the car therethrough or by connecting the center wear-plate O to said sides by horizontal bolt-s.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The herein-described car-body bolster, consisting of a bottom channel-bar, anglebars, A, A, having their vertical flanges secured to the side flanges of the bottom channel-bar, a top plate connecting the horizontal flanges of the side angle-bars, and a support for the draft-timbers of the car secured to one of said side bars.

2. In a car-body bolster, the combination of the side bars; the center piece arranged between said side bars and provided with a bolt-passage and,at its lower end,with a chamber or recess about said passage, bolts connectin g the outer Walls of said chamber in the center piece with the sides of the bolster; and a top plate connecting said sides.

3. The combination of a car-body bolster having on one of its sides an angle-iron support K, draft-timbers supported at one end on said angle-iron support, and anchor-bolts extending horizontally through the bolster and secured to said draft-timbers.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

. M. S. SHOTWELL.

Vitnesses:

A. M. LANDIS, (J. E. LANDIS. 

